Piper PA-18-150 accident near Gustavus, Alaska, September 4, 2021
On September 4, 2021 at about 6:00 pm local time, a 1970 Piper PA-18-150, registered N371SC, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Gustavus, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during an off-airport beach landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 4, 2021 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Gustavus, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150, built 1970 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N371SC · registry record · serial 18-8914
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that he was landing off-airport, on a sloped tidal beach, with a crosswind. During the landing the airplane veered left, and he attempted to correct to no avail. Subsequently, the right main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane came to rest about 90° to the left of the intended landing path. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing defining event
- Landing gear collapse during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Ability to respond/compensate
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: airship
- Flight time: 9,126 hours in all; 590 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 8,223 as pilot in command; 1,678 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 19, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,125.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 5, 2021
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 4,734 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PAOH Hoona AK at 5:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 400 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.53 inHg
- Observation at 9:56 am from PAGS, 40 miles away
Weather report (METAR): PAGS 041756Z AUTO 31007KT 10SM OVC004 12/11 A2953 RMK AO2 SLP998 60004 T01170111 10122 20117 56023
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on March 21, 2022. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Accident Pictures | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.